The present invention relates generally to vehicles such as transfer cars for transporting heavy loads of steel or the like within a plant. More particularly, the present invention relates to mounts for the wheel axles on such vehicles.
Transfer cars have longitudinal and transverse members forming a framework or bed for receiving heavy products for transport within the plant. They have wheels which are received on rails for movement of the transfer car.
The treads (circumferential rail-engaging portions) of transfer car wheels undergo a great amount of wear with the result that they must be replaced often. A conventional transfer car has wheel mounting assemblies wherein the axles are fixedly mounted in holes formed in the longitudinal frame members, and the wheels are rotatably mounted on the axles. Removal and replacement of the wheels accordingly requires the difficult and time-consuming task of disassembling the axles from the holes and re-assembly thereof.
The treads of worn wheels could be re-machined for re-use. However, the re-machining process reduces the tread diameter so that such re-machined wheels have not been usable in conventional transfer cars with the conventional wheel mounts described above.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to more easily and quickly remove and replace a transfer car axle and wheel.
It is another object of the present invention to re-machine and re-use transfer car wheels.
It is still another object of the present invention to more uniformly distribute load on the wheels.
It is yet another object of the present invention to retrofit existing conventional transfer cars with axle mounts which achieve the above objects.
In order to allow a transfer car wheel to be quickly and easily removed and replaced, in accordance with the present invention, an upwardly opening yoke is formed in the transfer car frame for receiving each end portion of an axle, and the axle is held in position by a retainer cap.
In order to adjust for a reduced diameter of the wheel tread due to re-machining thereof so that the wheel life may be extended, in accordance with the present invention, a shim is installed between each axle end portion and the corresponding retainer cap.
In order to more uniformly distribute load between wheels, in accordance with the present invention, a spring assembly is installed between each axle end portion and the corresponding retainer cap.
The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of thereof when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein the same reference numerals denote the same or similar parts throughout the several views.